


Slow Burn (You're Sick with a Fever)

by wildwesternwoman



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Friendship, Mention of Death, No Romance, Other, Sick Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-17
Updated: 2019-03-17
Packaged: 2019-11-19 13:52:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18136598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildwesternwoman/pseuds/wildwesternwoman
Summary: You're sick with a fever and the gang take turns sitting with you.





	Slow Burn (You're Sick with a Fever)

The fever had been coming on for about a week now. You had tried to manage, continuing your chores, but not pushing yourself. You’d seen how quick and easy these things took people, and even though your life in an outlaw gang was constantly on the verge of ending, this ain’t how you wanted to go. 

You thought you’d just about kicked it, so you rode out with Charles on a hunting trip. When you lined up a shot on a deer, though, you realized you were not better. You were quite certain there had only been one deer there a moment, before, but now there were two, or maybe three.

“Y/N? Are you alright? You don’t look so good?” Charles called. 

You hadn’t realized you were swaying back and forth. Turning your head to look at him brought on the dizziness. The few seconds after that were a blur as your world started to turn at lightning speed, and then tilt. You had fallen, you soon realized. And Charles had caught you before you hit the ground, thank God. 

You could vaguely make out his face above you, his lips moving, but you couldn’t hear him. 

And then everything went black. 

Charles tried to stay calm, but he was incredibly worried about Y/N. He knew you had been sick the previous week, but he had no idea how bad it had gotten or he would have never let you come out with him. He lifted you gently onto his horse, mounting behind you and holding you up. 

“It’s gonna be ok, Y/N. Just hang on.” 

He wasn’t sure he’d ever rode so fast back to camp. 

Javier and John were on guard duty and even on different edges of camp, they heard the quick hoof beats as Charles rode up. Javier pointed his gun, unsure of who would be coming in that fast if there wasn’t trouble. 

“Who’s there?” He called. 

“It’s me, I need help! Y/N passed out!” 

Javier lifted you gently from Charles’ horse and carried you bridal style on into camp. He’d never felt anyone so on fire with a fever before. John met him at the edge of camp, uttering a simple “Oh shit,” just at the site of you.

“Dutch!” He yelled. 

“Get Miss Grimshaw!” Charles added. 

_You, on the other hand, witnessed none of this. None of the flurry of people passing you around, none of Miss Grimshaw and Abigail forcing the others out while they undressed you to only your undergarments and pressed cool rags to your head and chest as they attempted to cool you._

In your head, you were in a meadow, surrounded by wildflowers, a cool breeze floating across your skin. It was so nice, it was so peaceful. 

After cooling you down slightly, Grimshaw sent Sean to town to get something, anything, that might help. He was nervous pacing, making everyone else that much more nervous, as well. John and Jack rode along with him. If… If something bad happened, well, Jack didn’t need to be around for that. 

Miss Grimshaw wrapped you tightly in a blanket. 

“We’ve cooled Y/N off a bit, now it’s just best if they sweat it out.” 

The gang each took turns sitting with you. Karen filled you in on all the town gossip that she hadn’t been able to tell you, Mary-Beth made up a love story - your love story that you had to live to see - she did it right there on the spot. Abigail just quietly hummed the bars of your favorite song. 

_You were still in the meadow. Staring at the bright blue sky. Enjoying the feeling of not being on the run anymore, it’s been a long time since you felt so safe._

Dutch and Hosea each read to you, from different books that they thought you might like. Hosea gently kissed your forehead before he left. Charles told you that he went back for the deer that you had your sites on, but he didn’t kill it. He knew how proud you were of your hunting skills and you would be proud to tell everyone how you tracked it down and got it again, once you got better. 

_You sat up and looked around, taking in the meadow. It was so beautiful. So warm and inviting. You could just stay here forever. But something, something didn’t feel right here._

When Sean returned, he took his turn sitting with you, also. Telling you jokes and stories of his da’, he knew how you loved to hear them. Javier sang to you and reminded you that you had promised him you would see Mexico one day, you couldn’t leave before you saw Mexico. Tilly quietly sat next to you, sewing. She enjoyed just being around you, doing chores in close, quiet proximity to each other. She, like Hosea, kissed your forehead before leaving. 

_The skies at the edges of the meadow began to darken. The wind began to feel more… violent. Not like a cool summer breeze, more like the makings of a tornado. You shivered._

Lenny sat with you for a time, as well, but couldn’t bear to see you like that. You were like an older sibling, always there with kind, but firm guidance. Always there to grab a drink or just take a walk. What would he do if you left? Sure, he had the gang, but… It wouldn’t be the same without you. These sentiments were echoed by Sadie. It wouldn’t be the same around here without you. You were quick with a pistol when needed, but calm and wise, wise beyond your years, as well. She felt safer with you around. John did, too, though he’d never tell you that. He loved watching you with Jack, the way you were kind and loving with the boy, he’d been trying to imitate you, to do better. He needed you around to teach him. To help him. To be his friend. 

_Rain began to fall lightly in your meadow. A summer shower, you enjoyed those. But it seemed like the water only rose. It didn’t seep into the ground and water the flowers and the Earth, it just got higher._

Even Micah and Bill took their turn sitting with you. Bill played cards and talked. Just talked about everything. His thoughts and feelings, it was nice to just talk, knowing you wouldn’t remember anything he said. He wondered if he could talk to you like this if you pulled through? Would you listen without judging? Micah just stared at you. So this is how easy it can happen, huh? Be fine and dandy one minute, then nearly gone the next. Life was a bitch.

_The rain covered the flowers now and dark clouds hung low overhead. It was up to your knees and you could barely wade your way through it. Is this it? Is this the end?_

Kieran sat with you for a while, under Bill’s watchful eye. Kieran held your hand and promised that he’d take care of your horse until you got better and that you would definitely get better. Y/H/N would miss you too much if you didn’t, and so would he. Arthur took his turn sitting with you in the early hours of the morning. He wasn’t sure what to say or do, so he sketched while you rested. Tried to draw you, alive, healthy, happy. Nothing like what you looked like right now. But his memory didn’t do you justice. Your kindness and love didn’t radiate off the page like it did in person. So he held your hand silently prayed to every God he could think of that you wouldn’t leave them just yet. 

_The water was up to your neck now as you floated in a sea of emptiness. You weren’t sure how much longer you could keep yourself afloat, but you had to right? You had to stay alive, this is not how Y/N Y/L/N was going to die. But you just couldn’t, you were too tired, this was too hard._

As a loud clap of thunder sounded overhead, you gasped awake, nearly scaring poor Arthur out of his chair.


End file.
